The Cecil Whig., 1887-03-12
AN OLD CITIZEN GONE.
Death of Mr.. johnson Shippers, Of North
East, in His 95tb Year.
A Lengthy sketch OF His Useful and Long
Lite. With Fun Account of His Family
Connections.

Lie, WIN II Full Account OF ms fahliiS
Connections.
Mr. johnson Shippers, who was probably
the o ldest person in Cecil county, died at
his residence in North East about four
| o'clock on "Wednesday morning of old age
He was born in the ira me house now occu-
pied by his nephew, Mr.. Jesse ID. West,
nearly opposite he large hri"k residence in
which he died, on the 6th day of February
lI93 aud was consequently 94 years
one month aud three days old Al the time
of his demise Mr.. Shippers was remark
ably active for one old, but had not been
| 80 well as turp-rly, since suffering serious
illness last spring. He complained of not
feeling We'll for several days before his
death, but on SUNDAY morning last APP
peared AS usual at the breakfast table. He
was not able to get up on NJ pndly morning,
and from that tIrle dill MT take any nour-
iShmeut. His m Antai faculties which had
been unusually strong all his long life were
good To the last.
Mr.. Stmpers belonged To family which
has wide connexions in Cecil county, and
which is nnred for the lorgevlIy of nearly
all its nrmb-rs. Mr.. J,husou Simperss
paternal great grandfather came to this
country from England His pat-rnll grand
father John Slmpers go * up or received
grant tor IA large tract o. uuuccupiad Land
situated about four miles frc,u North East
and about the same distance from Eikton,
which afterwards became known aS 'Slm-
pers Choice" 1t was eviGeutiy catle, So on
account of his selecting Ii i'll preference IT,
other land which was mo.e abundant ANA
less valulb iu those cprsrevuluuonaTy days
than at the present time. .Ionu SHIPPERS son
of him of the same name. and father of til"
subjecC of this obituary sketch, was hnru on
January 2l,t, 1862. He WAS married Dec.
2lth lIS,, " hen Learly 70 years OF age /"
Margaret Crouch, aged III Years. Miss
Crouch was cousin of Captain Michael
Eudulph, who served villautlv uuder
Light Horse" Harry Lee iii the revClu-
tionary war and who tradition has il, and
many persons who have inquired INTO the
facts believe, afterwards went to France
and changing his name becanie Napuleou's
shal Ney, "Che brav,:sJ of the brave" Her
father lived on what Is now Known a. the
McNamee farm in Elk Neck. The auces-
tors of the family caIue from Wales. John
Shippers the father ut ,Iuhuson, kept a hotel
in North East for number OF years, i'll the
building III which Mr. Jesse West now IT,
sides, and in which before stated Mr.
I
betw eeu PulladelphIa and Btltlruore passed
right by the north side of the houae One
OF Mr.. Slmpers'S sisters told the writer
about the arrival of the mail coach at md
night, ami how eagerly the mail
opened. 1t was oneUt The stations At which
regularly attached To the stage and when
the roads We're Very bad ltIouk SIN to draw H.
McMaster i'll his entertaining History q
the People OF the United States" III the
chapter on Town ard Country L,te i'll
1870" states, giving Weld, the English tray
eler, as his authority, that The worst bit
OF road il the country seems to have been
between ElkIon, i'll Mary land aud The Sus-
quehanua Ferry. There the ruts were
deep that, as the wheels Were about TO enter
one the driver would call upon the pa,>en-
gers to lean ont OF the opposite side OF the
coach to prevent being overturned. "Nuw
genIlenen' he would say 40 the rIsh1,
Now gentlemen to the left. o."
We make this seeming diversion from our
subJec; i'll order that The people of TN, day
hal h,.,
the geueratlor when MIR. johnson SIlnger,
was ID boy. Tue boy spent several ear, on
hi, fathers farm, but when II years of age
was placed III the store Of Iunn M.ilt III
North East to learn the mercantile buslutss.
Alter serving III this capacity tor number
OF Years he and his father entered into part
nershlp and opened store. HIS father
afterwards retired from tie firm III favor OF
johnson > brother ,jonn, aud the TWO con
Quoted business for Il long numb Der OF Years
under the firm name OF j. X j. shippers.
johnson SHIPPERS WAS appointed postmaster
and 1t Is said served III that capacity during
the war OF lSl2. Judge EcnaId Thomas
recollects that lie was sfllI poa,lna,ier III
1928 HIS brother .Junu served In Iile army
during the war OF lSl2. Mr.. .JOhuso sou Sun
pers Was married un the sd or July 1916, to
Mllliceut Ford, "A member Uf d we'll known
Cecil family They We're the parents ui three
children. The Oldest, Johu Ford, was born
April 10Th, 1871 and uIed at the early age
of - years. The second child, Mary Maui
din, who was born January lOth 1919, mar
rieG Mr.. Jos. L. Stout, il highly respected
citizen VI North East, aud l, now deceased.
1921. He studied medicine and 1T one time
practced III North East. He served a. sur
g-on III the Sixth Maryiau Regiment dur
the war AMI Was IN LIuDy prison. He now
resides i'll Phlladelpala aud Is III feeble
health Mr.. johnson Slmper> " hIle III bus
iu.ss found time 10 ill offices OF trust which
were rendered him by the voters of the
county. He was elected member OF the
House of Deleg ,tes OF 1857 ami served
with ability. He also filled the position OF
county commissioner for severdi Years and
WAS trustee of the alms house. He Hds ap-
pointed an officer of registration hy Cover
nor a. W. Bradford. In polite, lac Wa, an
llue " niS from Itc lliLt lie fttt'ilIit'i ~
manhpod's estate until the formation OF the
Republican party with winch he united. 1t
is worthy OF note III this connection, that
Mr.. Shippers was one OF the original patrons
of THE W HIG aud subscribe, tor and read
it from the time Palmer RIcketts published
the first copy III 1911 TO The last ls,ue.
About 1872 Mr.. SHIPPERS retired fro.n the
mercantile business and gave his attention
TO the management of his farms. HIS first
wife having died a number ri year, before,
on May Sd .S59 he married Mrs. K icAel L
Campbeh widow of Rev. WIN Campbell, u
Methodist preacher, who survives nln. Mrs.
Shippers maiden name WAS Whitaker and
DIR. ChaS. T. SlmperS married her sister.
The children of Johnson aud Il tche +. 81
pers are John Feruley and Edward EverItt,
young men now resulting in North East.
johnson Slmpers belonged TO long lived
family. He was one OF twelve children,
four sons and eight daughters, who with
but one exception grew up and nearly all
lived to old age. His sister Ann, " no mar
ried Jessie Boulden was born on September
30th 1888, and lived to be % years OF age
citizen now resides on part of the old SIM
pers Choice" property. John Shippers lived
to the ripe old age of 81. Naomi Manly
widow of Captain Manly of Baltimore Is